For the first time, Vizio and Walmart are giving a joint pitch to advertisers, laying out what the retail giant’s acquisition of the TV company means for brands.
During a NewFronts presentation, Walmart and Vizio execs talked up a new login process that will help advertisers more accurately measure streaming TV ads. Walmart is also rolling out a new product placement format that appears within Vizio’s operating system.
The event, titled “Content to Commerce,” included a fireside chat with Shaquille O’Neal, as well as execs from Walmart, Vizio, NBCUniversal, Universal Pictures, and L’Oréal.
Retail moves to streaming
Walmart and Vizio are unifying customer logins across Vizio TVs, Walmart-owned Onn TVs, and Walmart, meaning that consumers will log into Walmart-owned smart TVs using their Walmart accounts. Combining customer accounts with smart TV logins is aimed at making it easier for Walmart to track whether streaming TV ads lead to purchases.
“By unifying account access, we’re creating a seamless experience across screens while laying the groundwork for deeper integration between retail and entertainment,” Courtney Naudo, svp of business integration and planning for Walmart, said in a statement.
In a survey of Walmart customers, 65% said that streaming ads helped them find new products, according to the retailer.
Targeted product placements
Walmart and L’Oréal unveiled a product placement deal with a yet-to-be-announced global content partner. The deal will drop L’Oréal products into premium content across Vizio’s operating system within the U.S., the company said. The ad format uses Walmart’s first-party data to target placements. It wasn’t immediately clear whether products would be placed within the content itself, or alongside it in a pause ad or a similar format.
“This collaboration demonstrates the power of integrating premium storytelling with retail to inspire customers and drive measurable business impact within a closed-loop ecosystem,” Nora Wolfe, svp and U.S. head of media for L’Oréal, said in a statement.
